Rogue trails fragment habitats and make it difficult for wildlife and plants to thrive and remain undisturbed by human activity. You can learn more about the detrimental impacts of habitat fragmentation on the Fells in Earthwise Aware (EwA)’s report here.
In 2024 we began piloting a rogue trail closure project in Greenwood Park, in partnership with EwA, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), MassTrails, and a Stoneham High School 9th grade science class.
Our partner EwA conducted multiple surveys across the Fells to determine the best location for a pilot rogue trail closure project. Greenwood Park was selected as the pilot project due to the presence of natural communities around Whip Hill, a rare species core, and a vernal pool core in addition to it being a lesser-used area of the park.
EwA highlighted four additional sections in the Fells that we can strategically tackle to create the most impact and protect the Fells’ most ecologically valuable spaces. You can learn more about these areas and why they were selected here.
Together with DCR and EwA, Friends of the Fells will close three trails around Whip Hill in the coming months and monitor their closures to measure success.